THE LEMON DUEL II – This Week’s Dueling Weapon

“Bright, sharp, and merciless — a weapon of clarity wielded with a sugared edge.”

As the summer heat reaches its fiercest point, the Society calls forth a weapon cut from sunlight itself: The Lemon Duel.

Bright, sharp, and merciless, this shaken martini carries both the sweetness of victory and the sting of its edge. With a sugared rim and a twist of lemon, it reminds us that every duel is both bitter and sweet — a contest fought with clarity and concluded with precision.

Whether at weddings, garden parties, or late-summer evenings where the air hangs heavy and decisions hang heavier, The Lemon Duel is the second card of August’s deck: the challenger to the Ice Cold Classic.

The Lemon Duel

The Ritual

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz triple sec (or Cointreau)
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• ½ oz simple syrup
• Powdered sugar (for rim)
• Lemon twist (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Prepare your chalice: moisten rim with lemon and dip into powdered sugar for a white, frosted edge.
2. In your copper shaker, add vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
3. Fill with ice. Shake hard — the duel demands vigor.
4. Strain into the sugared chalice.
5. Garnish with a sharp twist of lemon — your duel’s final flourish.